Robot Pressure Threshold Control for Soft and Hard Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotics systems lack effective methods to manage adverse conditions, such as obstacles, which can cause damage or unauthorized control, by transitioning between operational modes to protect the robot and enable remote or physical intervention.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor system with dual thresholds triggers soft and hard reset modes based on sensed pressure, allowing controlled transitions to restrict or halt robot movement and access, respectively, to address adverse conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robot operates autonomously without pressure sensing, then productivity is maintained, but the robot cannot detect adverse conditions causing damage or security risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with pressure-sensitive paint, which provides tactile sensing capabilities through optical detection. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while maintaining safety detection functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and device complexity reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure-sensitive paint changes color or optical properties in response to applied pressure, enabling the robot to detect adverse conditions through optical sensing. This color-change mechanism provides a simple yet effective way to detect obstacles and unsafe conditions without complex electronic sensors, addressing the contradiction by improving safety through a visually detectable signal.
2Reliability
If pressure sensing is added to detect adverse conditions, then robot safety improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-sensitive paint serves multiple functions: detecting obstacles, identifying adverse conditions, and providing tactile sensing information. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate sensors and control systems, improving adverse condition detection while minimizing the increase in device complexity through a single integrated sensing medium.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables safe operation by preventing damage and unauthorized control, allowing remote or physical intervention based on pressure thresholds, enhancing robot safety and security.
Implementation Method 1
A pressure sensor may be configured to be mounted on a robot and to measure a sensed pressure value at the robot
Data Source
AI summary
Computing platforms, methods, and storage media for sensing and controlling with respect to a robot. A robot control and sensor system may include a pressure sensor configured to be mounted on a robot, and/or mounted on a robot peripheral, to measure a sensed pressure value at the robot. The pressure sensor operates with respect to first and second pressure thresholds. A controller is in communication with the pressure sensor and may be configured to: obtain, from the pressure sensor, a sensed pressure value relating to pressure applied to the robot at the pressure sensor; generate a soft reset notification to cause the robot to enter a soft reset mode when the sensed pressure value is above the first pressure threshold; and generate a hard reset notification to cause the robot to enter a hard reset mode when the sensed pressure value is above the second pressure threshold.